Receptacle-support.



T. J. BICKEL.

RECEPTACLE SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED rm2a. 1917.

Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

RECEPTACLE UPPOBE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

Application flled February 23, 1917. Serlal No. 150,525.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that 1, THOMAS J. BICKEL, a citizen of the nited States, and resident of Jasonville, in the county of Sullivan and State of'lndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Receptacle- Supports, of which the following is a specifiprovide the improved box supporting means with other means for normally maintaining the box in position to permit the ready deposit and collection of mail or like matter therein and therefrom.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the provision of means, whereby, the mail box may be shifted laterally of the supporting means, thus, varying the positioningpf the same with respect to the roadway.

All of the foregoing together with additional advantageous details and arrangements of parts of the preferred embodiment of my invention will be clear from the specific description hereinafter contained, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof wheren said embodiment of the invention is illustrated for the purpose of facilitating a full understanding of the improvements.

In the drawngs:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the improved supporting means showing the mail box engaged therewith;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail in perspective of the same; and

Fig. 3 is a detail in top plan of the beariniface of the hollow supporting post.

eferring now more particularly to the several figures of the said drawings and in connection with which like reference numerals refer to the same parts, there is provided a hollow supporting post 1, the lower 0Xtremity Of which is tapered as at 2 to permit the same to be readily driven into a suitable supporting base, while the upper extremity thereof is provided with a laterally extending fiange 3, the upper face of which is inclined for a purpose which will be subsequently apparent. Within the inclined upper or bearing face of the flange 3 there is formed a sent 4:, it being noted that the said scat is arranged at a point adjacent the lowermost portion of the lateral fiange 3 and receives and normally retains therein the improved mail box supporting means. As will be noted, the upper portion of the hollow post 1 is thickened as indicated by the numeral 5 while in one side thereof a longitudinally extending slot or way 6 is formed.

' A. second post 7 is provided and has the upper extremity thereof tapered as at 8 while upon the loWer portion of the saine there is arranged a depending leg 9, the leg being of a diameter less than the diameter of the post 7 and carrying thereon in proximity of its lower and a laterally extending lug 10. The lug 10 is of a size and shape similar to the longitudinally disposed slot 6 in order that the same may be readily passed downwardly therethrough to permit the insertion of the depending 1eg 9 in the thickened portion 5 of the post 1. The shoulder as formed upon the lower' portion of the post 7, due to the jointure of the reduced depending leg 9 therewith is inclined to correspond to the bearing face of the laterally extending flange 3 and has arranged in one portion thereof a recess 11 for loosely receiving a substantially frustO-conical bearing roller 12, the bearing roller 'being rotatably conical bearing roller 12 which is turned into engagement with a screw threaded pocket formed in the upper portion of the reduced depending leg 9. By se arranging the roller 12, it is obvious thatthe same Will have engagement with the bearing face of the lateral flange 3 and by reason of the inside arrangement of the same and also of opening 17 at substantial right-angles thereto and receives therein a set screw 18 adapted to normally bear against the portien of the I-beam 16 to maintain the same in adjustedposition. The outer or free extremity of the I- beam 16 is curved upwardly and flattened as at 19 and has secured to the upper face thereof a substantially rectangularly shaped frame 20, certain of the sides and ends of the frame being provided with walls or stops while the forw,ard portion thereof is open to permit a mail box 21 to be slidably engaged With the same. To secure the mail box 21 in position upon the frame 20, rivetsor other suitable fastening means are passed through the walls or stops thereof, thus, preventing undue lateral or longitudinal movement of the same. A signal 22 is slidably secured to one side of the mail box 21 by passing a strap 23 about a portion of the stand of the same and has the lower ends thereof engaged with the slotted end of a lever 24 secured to the adjacent side Wall of the box as at 25. By rocking the free extremity of the lever, it Will be understood that the signal 22 may be raised or lowered.

From the foregoing, it Will be understood that should the mail box or other receptacle as carried upon the fiattened portion of the I-beam or bracket 16 be struck by passing vehicles or the like, the same Will be perm-itted to swing frely, thereby materially reducing the impact and as a consequence, preventing extensive damage or wrecking of the box. Furthermore, by reason of the inside arrangementof the bearing face of the fiange 3 and the shoulder as formed upon the lower extremity of the post 7, the frusto conical roller will be caused to return into engagement with the recess or scat 4 formed in the said flange 3 and the box, thus, re-

tained in proper Position with relation to the roadway. To remove the post 7 from the hollow post 1, the frame is rotated until the laterally extending lug 10 as carried thereby is alined With the longitudinally disposed slot 6, whereupon the said post may be readily raised from engagement therewith.

While I have herein illustrated and de-* the upper portion of the post being'thickened, the thickened portion of the post being provided With a longitudinally extending slot, a second post slidably mounted in first mentioned post, a leg member depending from the second post, a lug formed on the free end.of the leg adapted for slidable engagement in said slot and adapted also to v at times retain the [second post in locked position relative to the first mentioned post, the upper extremity of the first mentioned post being inclined, and a rotatable el ement carried by the secondpost and adapted toride on the inclined portion for a purpose specified.

2. In a device of the character described, a hollow post having the upper portion thereof constricted and formed with a longitudinally disposed way and an inclined bear ing surface on its upper end, a second post carrying a pin on its lower end slidably and rotatably engaged in said hollow post, said second post having an apertured head formed on its upper end provided with an inclined bearing surface on its underside, a -frusto-conical roller carried by the head interposed between said inclined bearing surfaces, and an arm adjustably engaged in the apertured head.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signatare hereto.

THOMAS J. BICKEL. 

